Glowing Rime
by Muffytaj
Summary: COMPLETE, ALL 30! This is my collection of 30 kisses challenge fiction. They run from short, to long, and spawn across every known genre. ZukoxKatara.
1. Look over here

**The Wages Of Temptation**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #1. Look Over Here  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

"You should always beware a cornered woman," Iroh had once told his nephew, "she will do anything to win." Zuko had done the same thing with this piece of advice as he did with most of his uncle's conversation: ignored it. A mistake, as it turned out.

"Hah, I finally have you, Avatar!" Zuko gloated as he held a blade to Aang's throat. "Neither of you move." He threatened the other two. He had finally managed to sneak into their base and capture the Avatar whilst he slept. The other two had been bathing, and unable to defend their friend. Aang slowly stood up, the kiss of metal against his throat stopping him from attacking.

"Such a pity I have to leave," Zuko smirked at the still-wet Katara and Sokka. Sokka didn't even have his boomerang – they had been drying themselves when Aang's shout had alerted them, "but I'm afraid I have a home to return to." He turned to leave, when:

"Hey Zuko, look over here!" Katara shouted, and dropped her towel. In the brief, vastly educational, moment that followed Zuko didn't even register Aang knock his knife away, nor the smack of hardening water against his temple.

"Sure you saved Aang's life," Sokka said, as he tied up the unconscious prince, "but for the love of god, _never do that again_."

Katara merely blushed.


	2. News, letter

**Ripples In The Ice**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #2. News; Letter  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

"Dear mother," Katara wrote, her finger carving letters into the smooth water, "How are you? We've got a new family member, he's the Avatar. His name is Aang, and he's 112 years old, but he's really only 12. We've also made a new enemy, his name is Zuko and he's a prince of the fire nation. His father sent him to capture Aang. He attacked our home, and threatened Gran-Gran. Gran-Gran's fine – Aang stopped Zuko. For a moment though it was pretty scary. I thought he was a general, his face was so scarred and his voice was so harsh. But he's actually closer to my age. His father must have a lot of faith in him to send him to find the Avatar.

His father was the one who ordered the attack on our home two years ago. If I kill Zuko, do you think his father will know what it feels like?" Tears dripped down Katara's nose and splashed into the water. The water gave her tribe life, and it was to water they returned in death. "Will he know how we feel, when he hears that his son is never coming home? Will he cry? Oh, I miss you mum. I love you." That was how she always ended her letters, ever since she had started writing them so many years ago. Scrawled out in the frost, painted as ever-widening ripples in the ocean, it didn't matter where she wrote them, as long as they were on water. Surely, surely her mother was a part of the water, and so one day her letters would reach her, somehow.

She leant forward and gently kissed the surface of the water. For one second she thought the water warmed beneath her touch. Slowly she stood up, dusting herself off and wiping her tears away.

Yes, the fire lord would learn what loss felt like, even if she had to teach it to him herself.


	3. Jolt!

**Getting It Right (His Version)**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #3. Jolt!  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

The cold wall against Zuko's back contrasted sharply with the hot hands pressed against his chest, pushing down as if trying to steal into him. Long brown hair brushed teasingly against his face as Katara looked deep into his eyes, a mysterious little smile reposing on her lips. The same lips pressed against his neck, nibbling tight little circles steadily downwards. Skin slid against skin, as she slowly undid his belt. His head thumped back against the wall as he shuddered, and he was suddenly finding it difficult to breathe. She laughed, low and deep in her throat, and he thought that he might just grab her and push her down on the ground and end it right there and then.

"Say it, prince." She commanded, her fingernails lightly dragging along his thigh.

"It." He replied stupidly. Again she laughed, and then dug her nails in a little harder.

"Say what you want." She commanded, and he thought that he had just to say it, and he could have whatever he wanted, even her, her lips, the heat, that smile, he could have it all if he just said the word….

"I suggest you ask for some tea." Iroh said from behind his shoulder.

Zuko jolted awake, his sheets sticky with sweat. Panting, he shook his head, and then groaned. What had he just dreamed? Recollection hit him hard. Oh no. Oh _no_.

He was in a lot of trouble.


	4. Our distance and that person

**Getting It Right (Her Version)**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #4. Our Distance and That Person  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Zuko's tongue flickered out, sliding its way down Katara's naked neck. His hips grinded against her, the rough cloth scratching against him. His breathing hitched as she hissed slightly. She dug her fingernails into her hand, tiny pinpricks of blood counter-pointing with the smooth warmth of his tongue. The sun beat down on them, its warmth making her cheeks flush, her breathe come out in short, sharp pants, and moisture trickle down her body. Or at least that's what she told herself.

He reached out, callused fingers brushing against her face as he tucked some of her hair behind her ear before kissing her. He was so warm to a girl used to isolated cold, harsh and fast in a world of slowly drifting water. He held her pressed up tight against him, treading the delicate line between pain and pleasure. He was in total control and it was all she could do not to shake apart.

No, that wasn't right, she wanted to have some control too. She brought her hand up and delicately touched his scar. He started, looking at her with his golden eyes, eyes so wide with want and need and vulnerable, opening himself up to her.

No, that wasn't quite right either. Maybe he would open up later, but right now he was pure passion, driving her crazy with desire. Pure sex, only later tempered with love. She was still innocent enough to think that love had to figure in there somewhere, eventually.

"Katara?" Sokka asked, as the morning light filtered through Katara's tightly shut eyelids. He reached over and shook her shoulder, and thought it was tiredness that made her moan.

"Damn it." She whispered as she got out of her sleeping bag. Tomorrow she would pick a Zuko and stick to it. For now she had to go back to saving the world.


	5. Ano sa

**The Ties That Bind**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #5. Ano Sa (Hey, You Know…)  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

The sun and the moon danced together in the sky, mirroring the lethal steps of their children underneath. The unearthly darkness of night and day lent an unreal air to Zuko and Katara's fight. Fire flared out with all the power of the risen sun, while water smothered it with all the majesty of a full moon.

Blood flew across the field as Zuko scorched the flesh of his eternal opponent. Bones groaned as Katara sent blocks of ice to crush her unrelenting enemy. They stepped stately through their routines, unaware of the script the sky had written out for them. There was only equality, both of power and emotion.

All souls are re-born, and all souls are forever bound to their own paths. The red string of fate ties them down, and as the Avatar must rise as master all every lifetime, so too must his two continual companions fulfill their destinies. Their struggles, their tears, their tiny tragedies, all of these things were but a drop in the ocean of their collective lives, forever doomed to be overshadowed by the Avatar's shining hope.

And just as his guardians must always exist, so too must his enemy be born; to drive him in ways friendship never will, and to give the Avatar a lethal edge. Sometimes the foe is from within, sometimes it is the times themselves that fight against the Avatar, or sometimes it is a physical being to be faced and crushed. Sometimes the enemy was killed within the first battle, if the Avatar or his companions had known a harsh life; sometimes he was slowly converted over to their side if the enemy had too many morals and had been loved too little. Sometimes the enemy caught one of the bodyguards and pulled him or her under the trees and kissed them until right and wrong were jumbled up together, and the Avatar of that generation was forgotten.

But each time they were reborn, and had to start anew. A hundred years had passed as the enemy and the bodyguards drifted, cut loose with no Avatar to focus them. Not even the stars could say how such a long time of nothingness would affect the souls. So, as Katara and Zuko weaved their way around each other the sun and moon mirrored them, watching and waiting to see which way fate would turn.

And maybe, just maybe, this time they would break the threads, and begin their paths anew.


	6. The space between dream and reality

**The Bite Of Reality**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #6. The Space Between Dream and Reality   
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

In Zuko's dreams he was a true prince, brave and noble. He was naturally talented, capable of beating any opponent easily. He could have the pick of any woman he wanted, and his little sister was forced to acknowledge his strength. The Avatar was an old man, and after a tremendous battle that displayed all of Zuko's talents, was captured and brought back to a loving father.

The reality was that he was currently trapped in a block of ice, glaring down at a girl two years his junior whilst she told him to behave himself. She smirked at him in a way that made him long to crush her, before saying brightly.

"Ah, that's right, Aang told me how you kindly gave my necklace to him to return. I owe you a kiss for that." She grinned in an unholy manner, before blowing him a kiss. "So does Aang. I'm sure he'll be glad to give you the kiss I loaned him once he wakes up."

Zuko vowed that as soon as the sun rose he was going to set her on fire. He closed his eyes and grimaced as the puff of cold wet air Katara had sent his way hit his cheek.

"Ah, was that your first kiss?" She laughed, as if such a thing as a blown kiss counted! "I'm so sorry." She turned away, laughing, as the first rays of the sun hit Zuko's face.

Time to act.


	7. Superstar

**Honest Intentions**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #7. Superstar

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Zuko strutted down the streets, the Avatar and his two accomplices trailing after him, their hands tied behind their backs. Each of them had a firebender standing directly behind them, shortblades poised to finish them if they even looked like thinking about escaping. Not that there was a lot they could do with bound hands and gagged mouths.

In his daydreams this had occurred often, but reality was a little different. For one thing there were no strings of adoring females pressing up against him (a must in every young man's dreams). Instead all the young people kept their distance from the scarred and battle-hardened exile, while the elder generation would quietly come up and congratulate Iroh on a job well done. No matter, Zuko decided, they would be flocking to him as soon as he was reinstated in his proper position as prince.

In his daydreams he hadn't had the two water tribe brats with him either. But he had found that they had been extremely useful in keeping Aang complacent, and the one escape attempt had been cut short when he had burnt the boy's face.

He slightly regretted that, even when the girl had healed the boy. And her healing had stirred up old thoughts, thoughts of looking normal once again, and removing his shame from visible sight. Something in her evoked the old feeling of security, reminding him of the days when a mother's kiss would heal all ills.

Maybe once the Avatar had been securely incarcerated he could request that his father let him deal with the other two. He could have her heal him in exchange for their lives. Maybe once she had healed him he would accidentally show them the tunnels out. He did not want them tangled up in this, and they had been good enough opponents to earn his respect. That giant flying bison was still around somewhere, and they could make their way home to live happily for a few more years, before the fire nation came to wipe them out.

Maybe he would show father the wisdom of having a few waterbenders around, to help clean up the all-too-frequent training accidents. Now he had caught the Avatar, his father would surely listen to him.

And then maybe he would meet the girl (though likely not the boy – the fire nation would never let foreign warriors live), this time not as enemies, but as something as close to equals as they could ever be. They would meet, and he would smile (or maybe just nod at her?), and she would know that it was because of him that she was still alive.

But what would happen after that even his daydreams could not answer.


	8. Our own world

**A Bubble of Violence**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #8. Our Own World  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

In a special world made of hatred and power Zuko clashed against Katara. There was no room for doubt, no room for honour or wonder or failure, only the scuffle of feet on the floor and the flare of elements colliding. The roar of fire was smothered by the thud of water, and the small grunts as hits were made were lost in the space around them, unheeded. The Avatar and the warrior lay momentarily forgotten as the barely-taught talented and the hard-working talentless swooped and swung at each other.

There were no words spoken, or at least none heard as his legs kicked out, throwing her out of her stance. She retaliated by sticking ice to his eyes, and in the split-second it took him to melt it she had head-butted him, sending him sprawling. He grabbed her as he fell, screaming something as they tumbled over and over, each trying to get on top of the other, each destroying the ground beneath them with unrestrained power.

Her fingernails, sharpened by shards of frozen water, tore at his face and chest as his hands attempted to burn her arms off. His legs locked around her waist, trying to push her down as she bit into his neck hard enough to draw blood. Twigs stuck into exposed flesh and rocks scraped skin raw unnoticed as they continued to wrestle each other into submission.

She threw his hands off her arms, the smell of burnt flesh making her cringe for a moment. Then his hands were around her throat, and hers around his, pulling each other closer and trying to make the other pass out first. His face crashed down onto hers as he tried to break her hold, his lips smashing against hers in a parody of a kiss, and chipping their teeth. She shouted something into his open mouth, before using his spit to freeze his teeth together. He released his grip on her neck, before he reared back and slammed his fist onto her sternum.

Pain lanced through Katara and for an instant the world disappeared. By the time it had faded back in Zuko had her pinned thoroughly down with his own arms and legs.

Both felt that he should have said something, like "I win, peasant," or that she should have spat something defiant at him along the lines of "you'll never get away with this" but instead all he had time for was a brief twisted smile, before passing out on top of her.


	9. Dash

**Not Just A River**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #9. Dash  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Zuko was not in love. Not one bit. There was nothing but hatred and the thrill of the fight in him as he walked over the bridge to confront her. He didn't admire the droplets of deadly water dancing around her as she attacked him, he didn't watch the moon play across her fierce little face, he didn't feel any sort of beauty in the sway of her body. The fire spurting from his feet to burn her up was enough contact with her.

But it was not enough fire, not enough hate, and once again he failed. And once again he ran. He ran from her attacks, he ran from his failure, and he ran from the implications of leaving her alive.

He was an exiled prince, lonely and deprived of attractive females to admire. That was all.

It was perfectly normal bloodlust, the same he would feel towards anyone who posed such a threat.

The fact that he would sometimes dream that he had slammed her against that pole not with fire, but with his hands, and had kissed her and bitten her and taken her in front of the unconscious Avatar, taken her time and time again until he was more worn than from any battle he had ever fought, all that was totally irrelevant. Dreams were just junk the mind was clearing out, and meant nothing.

She would scream his name, scream it out time and time again into the chilly night as he claimed her until she was hoarse, and bleeding and _his_. But these were just daydreams, and therefore as meaningless as nighttime dreams.

He wasn't in love. It was just a… just a phase he was going through. And if his uncle, or Iroh's girlfriend Jun, insinuated otherwise one more time, he was going to personally burn them to cinders.

Him, in love! Hah! The very idea!

Ridiculous.


	10. 10

**Bad Advice  
**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #10. 10  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

"You've got ten seconds," Sokka hissed, his boomerang leaving red kisses on Zuko's neck, "to explain why you were watching my sister bathe."

Zuko knew he should never have listened to his uncle's advice on 'studying the enemy in all environments'.


	11. Gardenia

**Keeping It Real**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #11. Gardenia  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

The scent of damp furs and seal blubber alerted Zuko to the fact that he was not alone. It was a subtle smell, but one he had had ample opportunity to grow familiar with. He swung around, springing at the closest bush and burning it to the ground.

A scream informed him that he had attacked Katara, the water peasant. He felt vaguely offended – he had the hazy thought that women should smell of roses and gardenia, not sweat and dead animals. It took him only a minute of intense combat with Katara to figure out why he was wrong.

Beautiful perfumes were for delicate, almost sickly pale girls who sat under umbrellas and talked endlessly about their clothing, their friends' clothing, and how the two were related. It was for weak little kisses offered under the hope of political leverage, and utterly without passion.

As Katara smashed a frozen fist into his stomach, in that moment radiating more emotion than any the pretty little dolls back home would show in a lifetime, he realised that he would forever associate the smell of real women with the stench of crude clothing and harsh conditions.

And for some reason that pleased him more than gardenias ever could.


	12. In a good mood

**Why Bleach Was Invented**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #12. In A Good Mood  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Iroh was, all things considered, in a good mood. There was a nice natural spring near the camp, they had a good supply of ginseng tea, and Zuko had stopped shouting.

Instead Zuko was busy sulking with a vengeance.

Sokka was also sulking with a vengeance, and a hand on his boomerang. His eyes were constantly darting to and fro, and sweat was beginning to trickle down his face.

Aang, on the other hand, was having a whale of a time.

"Look Katara, look! They have meat! And apples!" Katara smiled uneasily, as if she wasn't sure whether she was meant to congratulate their enemy or snarl at them.

"I'm … sorry about disturbing you, I suppose." She managed eventually.

"Oh it's no trouble at all." Iroh reassured her. "People in the woods must help each other, after all."

"Yeah, if you hadn't turned up we would have starved to death!" Aang said cheerfully. "Sokka can't catch anything!"

Zuko smirked slightly at that, and Sokka's grip on his boomerang tightened noticeably.

"Yes, we too have to cook our own dinner," Iroh said smoothly, "so unfortunately our fare is rather limited. Tell me, young man, do you know any meals we can make with apples and meat? We have ginger as well."

Sokka was slowly persuaded to let go of his boomerang and help prepare dinner whilst Katara and Zuko danced carefully around each other as they boiled the soup together. Aang, meanwhile, was busy teaching Momo how to drink tea.

Dinner was a grim affair, with Iroh happily humming (and then teaching Aang) a song, and the three teenagers each trying to stay prepared for attack at any moment. Eventually Iroh stood up, and stretched.

"Well," he said, "nature has prepared a bath for us, so I suggest we take it in turns to make ourselves clean. There are few things as satisfying as a nice, warm bath after a good meal." He smiled at Katara, "Ladies first, of course. And then I think Zuko, because he didn't have one yesterday and frankly is a bit-"

"Uncle," Zuko ground out. "I did bathe yesterday, you just fell asleep before I finished. And bathing so soon after eating is ill advised."

Iroh just smiled, and sent Katara on her way.

She felt too edgy to spend a long time soaking, and so was finished fairly quickly. "I'm done!" She shouted as she climbed out, and went into the bushes to dry herself and get changed. Within a few minutes, whilst she was still struggling with her bindings, she heard a man get into the water, and sigh softly. She instinctively covered herself, before she realised that she was hidden by the woods and he couldn't see her.

It was probably Zuko, sent by his uncle. For some reason the thought of the fire prince naked and wet just a few feet from her made her feel a bit stupid. She found herself wondering if he was burnt anywhere else, or if he had scars, or if his chest was all hard and flat like Sokka's or all furry and soft like her father's. A blush brushed its lips against her cheeks, staining them pink. Was he a man, or a boy still? Maybe if she found out, she could use it later against him as blackmail. Maybe it would be the perfect tool to humiliate him with, if Sokka was better developed than him. That would hurt his pride for sure!

Yes, just one glance and she would be able to crush him with words alone. She gently pushed the leaves apart, and peeked into the hot spring.

For a moment she stood perfectly still, as if cast in stone, before a horrified scream tore from her throat, and sent her stumbling blindly back to the camp.

Zuko blinked as she ran into the clearing half-dressed, eyes wild.

"Y-you!" She spluttered, grabbing his shirt. "You were meant to be bathing!"

"I never bathe so soon after a meal." He informed her with the care one uses towards to mentally unstable. "Uncle was joking."

"Uncle!" She sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "Hair! Hair! Uncle hair everywhere! Wrinkles! Hairy wrinkles! And his-his-his…." And with a sob, she fell to the ground.

"Is everything all right?" Iroh asked mildly as he walked into the clearing. "I thought I heard someone scream."

"Ah! Uncle, go back into the hot springs! Everything's fine!" Zuko said, covering his eyes. With a shrug, Iroh turned and left.

"Wow." Sokka said in the silence that followed. "Your uncle has a _huge _-"

"Say one more word and I _will_ kill you."


	13. Excessive chain

**Parallels  
**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #13. Excessive Chain  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

"Why do you have to capture the Avatar anyway?" She asked, ice holding him in place.

"To reclaim my honour, and my family." He told her, fire lashing out and destroying his prison. He grabbed her arm and shoved her to the ground. "Why do you protect the Avatar?"

"To keep my honour, and my family." She replied, and threw him off. The wind kissed the flowers around them as they met, then parted, then met again.

"Is it worth it?" He asked, his voice weary with fatigue.

"Always." She answered, and knew she had won.


	14. Radio cassette player

**A Revelation, Or Merely A Reiteration?**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #14. Radio-Cassette Player  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

"Uncle, would you care to explain what on earth that thing is?" Zuko asked in a perfectly calm and reasonable voice. His uncle had been sent to buy food supplies for them. Instead, he had brought back, from the looks of things, half the market.

"This is the very height of technology, Prince Zuko!" Iroh said enthusiastically. "The man assured me that there were only a few of these made. Apparently, it plays these." He held up some small, grey box type things. "And it can even capture our nightly music, if we put one in a press this red button here…" But Zuko was no longer listening, and was instead poking around the heap of items.

Suddenly he saw a suspiciously-familiar looking necklace, nestled between an ugly statue and a painted rock. He snatched it up, and looked at it closely. No, the design was different, although it was the same navy cloth and blue pendant.

"Where did you get this from?" He interrupted his uncle.

"Ah, I noticed that you had given your old necklace to the water girl, so I thought I'd get you a new one," Iroh said. Then, all innocence, he added "but the man told me that it was a betrothal necklace, so I wasn't sure if it would be quite right for me to get you another one." He smiled at Zuko.

"I didn't _give_ it to her, they stole it. I only found it anyway, it's not like, that is, I didn't-"

"Perhaps you should listen to some music." Iroh said, soothing as a mother's kiss, "That will help relax you."

"Urgh!" Zuko flared, and stormed off, necklace in hand.


	15. Perfect blue

**It's** **Not Kissing**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #15. Perfect Blue  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

_A/N: I am considering turning this into a chaptered fiction. Any suggestions/thoughts about this would be greatly appreciated._

"Just for the record," Katara said, in case she hadn't made it clear enough yet, "this does NOT count as a first kiss."

"First kiss? You mean you haven't even had one yet?" Sokka asked smugly. Katara opened her mouth to retort, but Aang stepping in.

"Please Katara, you don't even have to kiss him, just heal him!" The object of their attentions was one bedraggled, unbreathing fire prince. Aang had decided to go surfing with the big nasty looking fish, little realising that the waves he was bending were currently in the process of first capsizing the two fire nation men's raft, and then drowning the young prince. Iroh had been saved due only to the fact that he had been sunbathing _el natural_, and thus had nothing to weigh him down.

Not that this thought comforted the three young heroes. In fact, as Katara later confided to her sympathetic brother, she would rather have had to bring Iroh back to life than see _that_. Iroh merely commented on the invigorating effects of cold water, and wandered off to find something to wear.

But it was the prince who needed help, and it was Katara who was stuck with saving him.

"I wish I'd just stuck to Pakku's classes." She muttered as she drew the water out of Zuko's lungs. "But no, I had to be able to save people as well as kill them." The blob of fatal, perfectly blue water splashed onto the ground.

"He's not waking up." Aang said anxiously.

Katara's fingers pressed into Zuko's neck. "He hasn't got a pulse, that's why." She said crisply. "His heart's stopped." The boys' chatter slid into the background, taking with it the thought that Zuko was the enemy, and that they really should just let him die. There was only cold flesh beneath her touch, and a life that needed to be saved.

So she tilted his head, repositioned his body, and began saving his life. In a tiny part of her mind she reflected that as far as kisses went (which this was not) it couldn't get any less romantic. He was cold, and ikky, and she had to keep his nose covered. Within a few minutes he stirred as she thumped his heart back to work. Once more her mouth closed over his, but this time his lips moved to respond to her touch. Warmth flushed through her and for an instant she thought she understood what all the fuss was about.

Then Zuko rolled over, and threw up what appeared to be his lunch, breakfast, and last night's dinner.

No, it definitely didn't count as a kiss.


	16. Invincible, unrivaled

**Body Language**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #16. Invincible; Unrivalled  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

"I have known the humiliation of defeat." His feet whispered as he circled her.

"I have known the bitterness of inability." Her hands sang as they twisted through the air.

"I am weak." His forearm snarled as it slammed against hers.

"I am clumsy." Her knee whimpered as she kneed him in the gut.

"One day I'll be without a rival." The set of his lips promised as they violently kissed away resistance.

"One day I'll be invincible." Her own replied, as they surged forward towards the future.


	17. kHz kilohertz

**Gang Warfare**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #17. kHz  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

_**A/N: This is another one I am considering turning into a chaptered fiction. Any thoughts/suggestions much appreciated.**_

The thumping beat of bad rap music alerted Katara, Aang and Sokka of their enemies approach from two blocks away. By the time the purple limo squealed to a stop beside them the sound waves were making the ground shake.

Katara and Sokka pushed Aang back, and prepared to face down their life-long rivals.

Zuko jumped out of the car, all flashy moves and dark clothing. He smirked, and opened the door for his uncle.

Iroh was the Pimp Master, and as such was always surrounded by no less than two beautiful young women. He oozed out of the car, and slowly straightened up. The music continued to pound through the air, slamming its way into the two Mizuhan members' skulls.

"Hihan." Sokka spat as a greeting. The Hihan were the main gang for the area, and viewed all turf as their turf. They had almost completely destroyed the Tsuchihan gang last year, and now had their eyes set on the Mizuhans.

Zuko was pinned to be the next leader, once his father bit the dust. His face was scarred from his father getting drunk and throwing acid at him, and he was well known for his wicked temper. In order to prove his worthiness as the next leader Zuko had sworn that he would hunt down the legendary Avatar, and either make him a part of the Hihan gang, or kill him.

The Avatar was the name given to the man who managed to master all four of the gangs' unique fighting style. Their techniques and special moves were closely guarded, and so anyone who was capable of learning them all was seen as their uniting leader, and ultimate threat. Once the Avatar aged he or she would often choose a successor, and train them to fill their position.

The last Avatar had died seven years ago when a home-made bomb exploded in his car. He had not chosen a successor. With no overhead to answer to, the Hihan slowly began their takeover. The Kazehan had been the first gang to fall to them, and with their decimation many had despaired of an Avatar ever reappearing.

But then Aang had turned up, and the streets had once again begun to hope. He was skilled in the Ku style of Tai Chi, Northern Shaolin and naturally talented in Ba Gua. The only martial style he had yet to master was Hung Gar from the Tsuchihan gang, and the Hihan hoped to stop him before he achieved it.

"Avatar, this is your last chance to join us." Zuko shouted over the music. Irritated, he signaled his uncle to turn the music off. In the ringing silence that followed Katara stepped forward. Slowly she reached into her sleeves, and pulled out a small switchblade. "An Agni Kai?" Zuko asked in amusement.

"Something like that." Katara said. Sokka looked sideways at her, and seemed like he was going to object.

"Fine." Zuko snapped and, pulling out his own switchblade, darted in. Their switchblades met, and sparks flew screaming from the metal's lethal kiss.

Zuko drew first blood, his knife nicking Katara's face as he attempted to overwhelm her with his strength. Blood splattered across the ground, and Sokka stepped forward with a shout.

"Stay back!" Katara ground out, her fist connecting with Zuko's shoulder. Iroh raised an eyebrow at that, and watched as Katara broke through Zuko's flimsy defense to return his cut.

She finally managed to get a lock on him, her blade pressed against his, holding him in position. His hand was around her other wrist, and they were each strained to free themselves. Except for their breathing, there was complete silence.

"Pity you're a Mizuhan." He panted eventually. His knife jittered slightly.

"Pity you're an arsehole." She replied, wondering how long it would be until she lost all feeling in her left hand. Zuko had more upper body strength than her, it was only a matter of time before…

Iroh's eyes flickered and for a moment it looked like he was about to lash out at something, but then he subsided, smiling.

"Neither of you move!" Sokka's voice rang out. Heads swiveled around as Sokka's knife flashed. He had managed to get around to behind one of Iroh's ladies, and his knife pressed up against her neck. "Zuko, step away from her, otherwise…"

The lady in question smirked, shifting slightly under Sokka's hold.

"D-don't move!" He squeaked, his face flushing. "Put your hands in front of you!"

"Sure thing, honey." She murmured, folding her arms under her ample chest. Ample, very exposed chest. Sokka swallowed hard, before concentrating back on Zuko and Katara.

Iroh stroked his beard as he watched Sokka blush dorkily at his favourite lady friend, and her respond to a surprising degree. Usually she would have ripped his balls off by now. His ladies were discerning, and had excellent taste (after all, they chose to spend their time with him, didn't they?) and they were rarely wrong when it came to men. Maybe there was something to the boy after all. To see that much skill in someone young and untutored…

Pimping was a very serious business. A bad pimp could ruin a score of lovely ladies, and so pimps had to be carefully selected, and ruthlessly educated in all things sordid. As the next Avatar must be chosen so too must the next Pimp Master be carefully trained. And many pimps never made it through the program – why even Iroh had made one near-fatal mistake in his apprenticeship, involving a young women who wasn't … but the experience had only strengthened him, and made him extra careful when selecting companions. Perhaps this boy would be the same.

"You - Sokka was it? How would you like to become my apprentice?"

"What?" Sokka blinked.

"I see much talent in you, and with training and experience, I believe that you could rise to match even me." Iroh strolled over to Sokka and casually took the blade out of his loose grip. He smiled at the bemused Sokka, and pocketed the knife. "What do you say? Would you take this old pimp as your teacher?"

"Uncle!" Zuko shouted.

Katara shook her head, and then realized that she was still locked into position with Zuko. Oh, right, the Agni Kai…

"Sokka?" She whispered.

"Ah, of course, we shouldn't be discussing this in front of your special lady. Although I could always find you work, if you wished…." Iroh said, winking at Katara.

"She's the _enemy_!" Zuko shouted at the same time Sokka jumped and practically screeched "She's my _sister!"_

"Is the fight over?" Aang asked into the glare-filled silence that followed. "I'm hungry." His face was a very picture of puppy woe.

"Then may I suggest a temporary truce, whilst we discuss young Sokka's pending apprenticeship." Iroh said, and such was his charm that they were halfway to the local restaurant before it occurred to Zuko that there was something incredibly wrong with this scenario.

"Uncle!" He shouted over the once-again present music. "Uncle, this is madness! They're our enemy!"

"Sorry Zuko, I can't hear you!" Iroh shouted back, leaning forward, and _somehow, accidentally_, pushing Katara into Zuko's lap. She sprawled across the young next-in-command's lap, before grabbing his shoulders and pulling herself free. Flushed, she rolled onto the seat next to him, and crossed her arms.

Zuko was also slightly red, and glared at his uncle. Iroh just shrugged at him, and made the universal hand signal for 'make conversation now!' before turning back to Sokka and Aang and continuing his story.

"…That was an interesting move you used to block my leopard strike. What is it called?" Zuko asked baldly.

Katara blinked, then smiled slightly as she began to explain the flaws in his attack that made it so easy to block and break through his defense. Pretty soon they were deep in conversation, comparing fighting notes.

From his corner, Iroh smiled to himself. It was good to be the Pimp Master.


	18. Say ahh

**A Cruel Streak**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #18. Say Ahh  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

**A/N: I've decided that whoever gives the 100th and 101st reviews for this story gets to request a fic from me! Any fandom that you can see I have written for is fair game, and any pairing you want. Just please remember to leave a prompt for me to work off (a word, object or such like). Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, to bringing me towards this pretty number!**

"Say ahh!" Katara instructed.

Zuko said nothing.

"Come on," she said, making what Sokka called her 'kissy face', "If you don't eat you'll become even weaker."

Still Zuko said nothing.

"Katara, maybe you should take the gag off him." Aang eventually suggested.

"Oh, but where's the fun in that?" She grinned.


	19. Red

**Poetry In War**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #19. Red  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Red on black is Zuko charging to meet his eternal enemy. Blue on brown is Katara rising to answer him.

Red on black is blood dripping out of a burn wound. Blue on brown is water washing over bruises, kissing them better.

Red on black is failure, and kneeling to meet fate's blow. Blue on brown is a crushing blow averted, and a hand reaching out to pull him off the ground.

Red on black is a traitor twice over, forever condemned by his family. Blue on brown is bringing together a new family, and sealing up the cracks.

Red on black touches Blue on brown and together they carve a whole new motif.


	20. the road home

**How To Get Close To Girls**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #20. The Road Home  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

"Try to understand," he said as he circled around the tree, "I need to capture him to restore something I've lost: my honour." His lips pressed up against her ear as if he were a lover, whispering saccharine nothings to his sweetheart, "Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something you've lost." As he dangled the necklace in front of her, the same one he had noticed around her throat so many times, he briefly wondered what it would be like if their situation were different. Could he, at any other time, offer a trinket to a girl, or ever press himself up against one like now? Would his heart beat with the thrill of the hunt, and the triumph of the capture?

Probably not, he decided, and smiled anyway.


	21. violence

**A Beginning**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #21. Violence  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Katara's lips drew back into a primeval snarl as she slammed a block of ice into Zuko's face.

"Peasant," he spat as blood trickled out of his mouth, "If that's the best you've got, then it's no wonder they left you behind." The sun sparked off the puddles around him as he charged forward. She nullified the fire fist that he flung at her, but was totally unprepared for his actual fist that followed. He flicked his fingers as he made contact, scorching through her top. She grabbed his arm, freezing it in an instant.

"If this is the best you've got, then no wonder you can't find anyone to follow you." She panted, before slamming her knee into his groin.

"Bitch." He gasped, before kissing the ground.


	22. cradle

**Squabbling in the Snow**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #22. Cradle  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Katara grumpily bended some more snow over the entrance of their hastily-made cave. She could always move it later when they needed to get out, or Zuko could melt it away. Meanwhile, it stopped the dreadful wind from howling around them.

She drew the water out of her clothing, but this did little to stop the pervasiveness of the cold. Her clothing was worn and torn and badly in need of repair, and not nearly enough to protect her against the elements.

Zuko had it much worse: his robes had frozen from the moisture trapped in them, and he was too afraid of bringing their icy ceiling down on them to use fire to dry himself. So he just sat there, stoically bearing it with the kind of determination that leads to stupidly pointless deaths.

Eventually Katara sighed, and shoved his shoulder. "Stand up." She said tiredly, "And I'll get that water out."

"I'm fine." He replied, teeth chattering.

"No, you're not!" She insisted, before pushing him harder. "Now stand!" She didn't ask herself why she was bothering to help Zuko, only that there was a difference between leaving someone to die, and actually having them die in front of you.

"I'm still cold." He mumbled a few minutes later.

"That's because you wore such stupid clothing when tracking us." Katara said.

"So you're not cold?" He scoffed, noticing how she huddled in on herself.

"Not one bit." She lied, and to prove her point stretched out. "See, I'm warm and toasty. We water tribe people are used to the cold, unlike you weak fire nation babies."

"Which is why your lips are turning blue." Zuko sneered, a little burst of fire playing around his own lips.

"My lips are always blue!" She snapped at him.

"No they're not, they're usually a light brown."

"What would you know about my lips?" Katara huffed, somewhat disconcerted by the way his gaze lingered on her mouth. Zuko flushed slightly, and glared at her.

"I make a point of studying my enemies. It's good strategy and shows intelligence. Something you are obviously in dire need of."

"Intelligence? If it wasn't for me you'd be dead by now! How would your intelligence save you then?" Katara growled, and threw her hands up in the air, "You're just as bad as Sokka!"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "I've never noticed any signs of intelligence from your Sokka." He stated. "He's usually just charging straight at the enemy with his weapon raised."

"He's not _my_ Sokka, he's my brother!" Katara was nearly shouting by now, exhaustion and frustration fraying her temper. "And he is very intelligent; he's just a big idiot that's all!"

"Well that makes a lot of sense!" Zuko, never known for his calmness at the best of time, was quickly rising to match Katara's anger.

"I don't have to make sense!" Katara shouted, the wall behind her cracking.

"Yes you do!" Zuko shouted back, "Why are women always so irrational? You're just like my sister! You both make no sense!" The snow beneath him was fast melting, and the ceiling was beginning to sag.

"You're exactly like Sokka!" Katara pointed a finger at him. "You're both sexist pigs!"

"I'm not sexist!" Zuko flared, "You just make no sense! And for the last time, I am nothing like your brother!" They were both flushed, their breath coming in sharp pants as they glared at each other with all the fervour of two lovers about to embrace. If the lovers would then proceed to strangle each other to death, that is.

Katara opened her mouth to yell something, but what she had to say was never known, as at that exact moment their cave collapsed on them.

Katara dug herself out and without thinking pulled Zuko out of the snow too.

"I vote we stop fighting." Zuko said between the chattering of his teeth.

"Agreed." Katara shivered, before making them both another cave. Once inside their newly-made grotto she sealed the entrance again, and drew the water out of them both without a word. Zuko didn't protest this time, just peacefully let her help him.

"We should get some sleep, and set out in the morning." She said eventually.

"Shouldn't your Avatar and his flying bison have come to rescue us by then?" Zuko asked, torn between hope and sarcasm. Katara shrugged.

"They know the general area where we fell off, but unless they manage to shake off the fire troops they won't be able to come help us for a while yet." She sighed wearily, "We're just lucky they didn't follow us instead."

"Capturing the Avatar is of paramount importance. Securing one of his accomplices and a banished prince comes second." Zuko fought between gratefulness and bitterness, and instead settled for resigned.

"We need to sleep. But if we go to sleep like this we'll probably get frostbite." Katara chewed at her bottom lip. "And if you use your fire you'll just bring the roof down on us again." Zuko decided to be the mature one, and not mention how much she had helped bring the roof down.

"We'd better sleep together then." He said. Katara drew breath to yell at him again, then subsided. Her family would often huddle together for warmth, and in bad conditions the entire village had slept together. The look on Zuko's face said he didn't like the idea any more than she did, but that if they wanted to stay alive then this was the best option.

"Fine." She said eventually, sitting down next to him. "But you'd better not smother me in my sleep or something."

Zuko didn't even bother to dignify that with a response. Instead he said "If you want I'll use some steam to heat us up, but you'll have to strengthen the snow around us whilst I'm doing that. And neither of us will be able to rest."

"Fine." She muttered sulkily, before lying down and pulling him down next to her. "We'll stay warm together. Good night." She squished her eyes shut, and was soon fast asleep.

Zuko, on the other hand, wasn't used to sleeping in such cold conditions, nor to the sensation of someone pressed up against him. The thought occurred to him that this was the first time he had slept with a girl, and the way she fitted into the curve of his body made him glad that she was fast asleep.

He slung an arm over her, and pulled her even closer to him. For warmth. Because, as she had said, he wasn't used to the cold. He pulled her even tighter against him, his lips brushing against the back of her neck. Yes, she was warm, and close, and right now that was all he needed.


	23. candy

**Sweetness In The Sour**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #23. Candy  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Zuko hadn't said a word since they'd tied him up in a sack. His uncle, on the other hand, had kept up a pleasant flow of conversation, even with his hands and feet tied together. This might have been because they had gagged Zuko as well as bound him so tightly his fingers were starting to turn red.

"Do you have any tea?" Iroh asked, licking his lips, "I'm afraid I'm getting rather thirsty, and I imagine my nephew must be as well."

"We've got water." Katara said. Sokka was sulking, because both Aang and Katara refused to stop 'fraternizing with the enemy', as he put it.

"Something to eat then? It's just it's been a while since we last ate, for our food was on our ship, you know." He tactfully did not add 'The ship which you destroyed last night', which Katara thought was very polite of him.

"We do have some candy!" Aang said cheerfully.

"Hey!" Sokka shouted, jumping to his feet, "You are not giving the enemy our candy! It took me ages to earn enough money for that!"

"But he looks so hungry!" Aang said pitifully. Iroh's eyes wobbled.

"I don't care, it's ours!"

Katara ignored both of them, and carefully offered Iroh some of their candy. "It's more boiled sugar than anything else," she said under the noise of the two boys fighting, "but it does taste nice."

"Thank you," Iroh said as he popped some in his mouth.

She crouched down by Zuko's sack, and looked sternly at him. "I'm only going to take off your gag and give you some if you promise not to set me on fire. Understood?" Zuko just glared at her.

"He would never dream of burning the hand that feeds him." Iroh said casually. "Isn't that right, Zuko?"

Zuko flushed and, still glaring at Katara, nodded. She slowly removed his gag, and pushed the piece of candy into his mouth. His lips closed around her fingers, and for an instant she was afraid he was going to bite her. Instead his tongue snatched the candy out of her hand, and he shut his mouth again, still frowning. But as the sweet candy flooded his mouth his expression relaxed, and he almost smiled at her.

Her fingers were still warm from where he had touched them, and slightly damp. Something shifted within her, before reality hit. "Ew, prince slobber." She said, and wiped it on his shirt. His smile disappeared, and he went right back to glaring at her.


	24. Good night

**Splitting Fate**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #24. Good Night  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

"Tell me where the Avatar is." He said.

"Bite me." She shot back, teeth bared. "As soon as the sun sets, you're dead."

Here is where history splits. In one world, he banters with her and holds her hostage until the Avatar comes and she freezes him then runs away. He resolves that next time he'll tie her up with steel wires and pretends that this is all he ever wanted.

In the second world he shrugs, wishes her good night, places his hand over her mouth and, with the wet warmth of her lips against his palm, sends her off to eternal rest. He feels nothing.

The only difference between these two worlds is that in the first one there is an old man standing in the background, carefully loving the prince as his father never did, and in the second one Zuko stands alone.

One person should not make created so large a divergence. But to Zuko and Katara, he is the difference between life and death.


	25. Fence

**The Effects of Water Dripping On Rock**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #25. Fence  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Katara dug a line in the sand with her foot. "Right," she said, pointing at Zuko, "You stay that side of the line, and I stay this side."

"Fine," he sneered, leaning against a tree, "just don't blame me when the tide washes you away."

Zuko had been in the middle of attacking their camp (again) when a sudden red blur had smashed into the middle of their fight, lightning and fire crackling together and destroying everything. They had scattered, and ten minutes later Zuko and Katara had met up on a beach. After a few minutes of threats and posturing, they had decided to have a truce for the moment, and that they would set out to find their respective parties in the morning. Katara briefly wondered at the wisdom of putting herself on the side of the ocean and leaving him the nice, warm forest, but was too proud to re-draw it.

"If I catch you crossing my side and tying me up in my sleep or something, I'll freeze you!" She warned him, but he had already shut his eyes. "Just as long as we're clear on that." She muttered and tried to go to sleep. But a cold wind was whistling through the holes torn in her clothing, and the clouds scurrying overhead made her nervous. She shot a glance at Zuko; he seemed to be asleep. Maybe she could… no! She wouldn't cross the line, even if it was warmer in the woods, and drier.

A few fat drops hit her head.

She would not cross the line! She would not, would not, would not!

The drops came harder now until they were racing down, hitting her as hard as hailstones. She shivered, and wrapped her arms around her legs, trying to divert the raindrops away from her with bending. But there were too many. Maybe she could make some kind of igloo, but that would only melt in the rain….

"Oh for crying out loud." Zuko said eventually. He stood up, and kicked away the sandy line. "You'd better get under the trees, otherwise you're going to catch a cold and die, and then both the Avatar and your warrior brother are going to spend the rest of their days trying to kill me. I have enough people doing that at the moment as it is. Now get under the stupid tree."

As they sat down together under the biggest tree, Katara wondered if she should thank the fire prince. Sure he was gruff, but he had gotten rid of the line… he blew some fire to warm himself, and accidentally caught some of her hair alight.

"Argh, my hair!" She screamed, patting out the fire.

"Well you shouldn't get so close to me, filth!" Zuko snapped.

"Like I want to be close to you!" She snarled, "In case you haven't noticed, there's not a lot of room here!"

"Go to another tree then."

"This one's got the most protection!"

"Stupid peasant."

"Arrogant prince!"

Unnoticed by the squabbling pair, the rain gently kissed away the last remains of the dividing line.


	26. if only I could make you mine

**Rising To The Occasion**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #26. If Only I Could Make You Mine  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Katara's skin felt sticky. The heat of the night clustered around her, boxing her in, making her sweat. Her face felt flushed and her head was swimming as the alcohol in her system slowly shut down all faculties. Or it could be the dark-haired man slowly kissing his way down her belly. His fingers splayed out across her back, burning through her clothing as he hurried to free her from them.

They had been drinking, and Katara had been crying. For no particular reason, just because she had been captured by Zuko, and was tired, and overheated, and because there was no moon tonight and so she stood little chance of winning a match-up against both Zuko and Iroh. Wherever Iroh was. Probably in the hot springs again, Zuko had said, and gave a shudder as if at an unpleasant memory.

And then Zuko had burnt the dinner, and lost his temper, and when Katara had complained of hunger had thrown a bottle of sake at her head.

"It will fill up your stomach, and stop it from making that embarrassing noise." He sneered, filling himself a cup. "My uncle swears that it is all anyone ever needs to live off."

"What, you've never actually tried alcohol?" Katara asked mockingly. "And here I thought you were all grown up!" He glared at her in reply, before tilting the entire cup of sake down his throat; then spent the next five minutes coughing and wiping watery eyes. Katara laughed at him again, and with a snarl he tipped the bottle down her throat.

Once the two of them had stopped coughing and choking, Katara tried to tug her hands free of their restraint.

"How am I meant to drink dinner if you don't let me loose?" She asked.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Zuko snorted. "The instant I turn my back on you, you'll just freeze me."

"There's no moon tonight." Katara pointed out, "And besides, I don't need to beat you up just yet. Aang and Sokka will be disappointed if I hog all the fun."

Two minutes later she was pouring them both their second serving of sake.

Five minutes after that, half the bottle was gone.

Ten minutes after that, they were screaming at each other.

Fifteen minutes after _that_, he stuck his tongue in her ear.

Somewhere in the deep, semi-sober, recesses of her mind Katara registered that Zuko must do an awful lot of training because the chest she was digging her fingernails into was terribly hard. Zuko, meanwhile, was wondering how on earth Katara managed to get into her clothing in the morning, before losing his temper and setting fire to it.

"T-that was my stuff, asshole!" Katara slurred as she tore one of his pant legs off.

"Shut up." He said eloquently, pulling the charred pieces off her, "'ll get you new ones later. Jus' shut up." Finally they were both naked, and he pushed her to the ground and clambered laboriously on top of her. "Fuck, you're pretty." He said, and thrust.

Only there wasn't much _to_ thrust.

"What are you waiting for?" She moaned, wrapping her legs around him. "Hurry up!"

"I don't… I don't get it." He said. "It was working a moment ago." She opened her eyes, and looked down.

"Oh." She said, and in that word said it all.

"I just, it just… it's not…" Zuko looked as if he were about to cry, or scream, or set fire to something, or maybe all of the above.

"It's the alcohol." Katara said in shock. Zuko slid off her. "Hey!" She grabbed him, and pulled him back. "Where do you think you're going?"

"But I'm… not working."

"You still have a mouth, don't you?" She smirked as she kissed him, then happily pushed him down. "Use it."


	27. Overflow

**HateSex**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #27. Overflow  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

He slammed her against a tree. "Bitch." He snarled, and bit down on her shoulder. She raked his bare back hard enough to draw blood, screaming something incomprehensible.

"Bastard." She managed to say eventually, before kicking him away from her. "Don't think you can do what you want." Her foot lashed out and caught him behind the knee, forcing him to the ground. A chunk of ice smashed into his face and in the steam that followed he reached out and yanked her arm. As she fell he rose, his knee connecting with her stomach. She gasped for air as he brought his fist down onto the back of her unprotected neck.

He grabbed her hair and pulled her up "Mine." He whispered, his breath hot in her ear. Her arms wound around his neck, though whether to embrace him or strangle him neither were sure.

"Fuck you." She panted as he licked her neck. He tore the remains of her shirt away as she slumped down to the ground. In an instant he was on top of her, attempting to pin her down. But she locked her legs around him and flipped him over, grinding herself against his groin.

"Fuck you." She whispered again, leaning over him and biting his lips. He pulled her closer to him, his grip leaving bruises. "Fuck…you…" She gasped as he violently thrust against her. She ground against him viciously, smirking as he threw his head back and growled. "Yours?" She sneered, her fingers digging into his chest, "No, you're _mine_." One of his hands gripped the back of her head and pulled her down, his mouth searing hot against hers, pulling together all their hate, and frustration, all their bitterness at their inability to save their precious people. It spoke of being the only ones left alive, lying there in the dirt bleeding each other dry. It spoke of hate, and sex, and hate filled sex that filled the void.

"I hate you." She said, clutching him like a safety line, digging red welts into his skin.

"Ditto." He grabbed her skirt and yanked it off and she scrabbled to tear off his pants. Together they moved, bitter and harsh as they pulled each other apart, then glued themselves back together with bits and pieces of each other. It was not love. It was knowledge shared, hatred built up for each other and all they stood for. It was knowing that the other was there, and that they were the only one who understood, but fighting it anyway because that was what was done. What had always been done.

It was the few brief minutes afterwards where they just lay there, panting and bleeding and sometimes crying, never exactly holding each other, but for the first time truly at rest.

No one ever said soul mates had to be happy.


	28. Wada Calcium CD3

**Cross-Purposes**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #28. Wada Calcium CD3  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

The first thought Katara had when she saw Zuko was "We're all gonna die." The second thought was her wondering if he was ill. She had never seen skin so pale! Except maybe for the Avatar, but he had just spent the last hundred years in an iceberg, so that was really only to be expected. Zuko, once he had taken his helmet off, looked as if he had kissed death. For an instant she considered offering him some calcium or something, to stop him from passing out. Then she remembered that he had just beaten up her brother, and snapped her mind back to reality.

He marched forward and reached towards her. For one moment she thought he was going to kidnap her, and do all those bad things that Gran-Gran had told her boys did to girls who went adventuring alone. He was a powerful firebender, and he was going to take advantage of her! She flinched.

When he grabbed Gran-Gran and pulled her to his side she didn't know whether to be relieved, or miffed. Instead she settled for plain terrified.


	29. the sound of waves

**Sinister Serenity**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #29. The Sound of Waves  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

For times eternal the crash of waves on the beach has soothed and calmed mankind. For Zuko, however, they only inspired dread. Whenever they had to spend the night near a beach he would spend his time wide awake, pacing and swearing. For if he were to close his eyes for even an instant he knew that the water wench would appear, eyes a'glinting and arms wide as she pulled him into her domain. And once in the water, with the moon high above his head, he was powerless to do anything other than drown in her lethal embrace. He would wake up, hands pressed to his mouth in memory of the way the salty water would rush in, for all the world like a tear-streaked kiss.

Once he captured the Avatar, he swore, he was going to move to a desert. Let's see the water woman get him _there._


	30. Kiss

**Two Means To An End**

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj  
Pairing: Zuko/Katara  
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender  
Theme: #30. Kiss  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Zuko kissed her. It wasn't a planned action, and one neither of them would ever have dreamed of doing, but one minute he was slamming her against a wall to stop her and it was all violence and pain and hate and craziness, and the next he was kissing her. He pushed against her too hard and held her too tight, and it was glaringly obvious he had never actually kissed anyone before in his life. But warmth swept through Katara nonetheless, her face flushing a bright red as twisty heat spiked between her legs.

He pulled back fiercely, his own face pink. She panted, her back felt bruised and her legs wanted to fold underneath her. Her mind screamed at her, but what it was saying she couldn't hear. It was still violent, still painful and still utterly insane, but something had clicked.

"Peasant." He groaned, before grabbing her face and kissing her again. His lips pushed against hers, blood already spilling over from their various cuts. Zuko's fingers tangled painfully in Katara's braid, his hands gripping her head too hard as his frustration communicated itself. She opened her mouth to tell him to let go, but instead he forced his tongue in, laced with steam. Her hands reached around his back, clawing at the fabric. Suddenly she was pulling him even closer, pushing back hard against him, and the screaming in her head had changed to purring.

It never occurred to either of them to spring apart, or struggle. Adrenaline pounded through them, adding an extra kick to the experience. Yesterday was forgotten, tomorrow thrown to the wind as they clashed in a whole new battle arena.

He wasn't the soft little pecks of Aang, or the brotherly embrace of Sokka. He has harsh, and rough, and was probably tearing all the skin off her back, but he was real and he was so damned alive.

He pulled back more slowly this time; then rested his chin on her shoulder as he gasped for air. He swayed slightly as his body attempted to take control again and continue its agreeable dance. He didn't know whether he should apologise, or break her neck. But just then her hand gripped his hair, and drew him back to her lips.

"Again." She ordered, and that was all that needed to be said.


End file.
